Arts Tasmania

Arts Tasmania is an agency of the Tasmanian State Government and is in the portfolio of the Tasmanian Minister for the Arts. Arts Tasmania is within the Tasmanian Department of State Growth. It is the Tasmanian Government agency responsible for policy and planning for arts and culture in Tasmania.

The Minister for The Arts is Elise Archer MP and the Director is Dr David Sudmalis.

Background

The Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board (TAAB) was established to provide advice on policy and funding to the state government and was created by th
Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board Act (1975)

Arts Tasmania was created in 1991 as an umbrella term used by the Tasmanian State Government when referring to the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board (TAAB), and the then Office of the Arts within the then Department of Education and the Arts.In 1990, a report commissioned for the Minister for Education and the Arts recommended that an, ‘Office of the Arts’ should be created within the Department of Education, as a way ‘to continue to assist the TAAB but also to assist the Deputy Secretary of the Department in maintaining integrated policy for arts and culture in Tasmania.’ ''(Final Report, Review of the Department of Education and the Arts, Tasmania, CRESAP: A Towers Perrin Co., 14 September 1990, pp131.'') The TAAB endorsed the findings of this report at its 109th meeting ''(Minutes, TAAB’s 109th meeting, 12 December 1990, pp2)'' however in June 1991, a new identity ‘Arts Tasmania’ was conceived and used as an umbrella for the State arts funding and policy development, and that the ‘Office of the Arts’ and the ‘Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board’ have independent status. ''(Minutes, Item 4.1, Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board meeting number 113, 12 June 1991, Pp2)'' The name, ‘Arts Tasmania’ was publicly launched, along with a newsletter and brochure of the same name, on 18 December 1991 by the Minister for the Arts. ''(Minutes, TAAB’s 116th meeting, Item 5.3, 10 December 1991, pp4)'' The title, ‘Office of the Arts’ only lasted until late 1992, upon which ‘Arts Tasmania’ was used thereafter. ''(Annual Report 1990/91, Department of Education and the Arts, Tasmania, pp33.)''

Arts Tasmania has a similar function to other Australian state arts funding bodies and to the Australia Council for the Arts and that of other global arts councils, although it is unique to Tasmania. Arts Tasmania liaises with other Tasmanian Government agencies including the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, the State Library of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Archives Office.''Handbook of the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board and its Panels and Committees, Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts - Arts Tasmania, May 2011, pp3''

Funding programs

Primary to Arts Tasmania’s core programs, is to each year administer grants and loans to artists and arts organisations distributed under the Tasmanian Arts Advisory Board Act (TAAB) 1975. Currently, its funding programs include:

* Artist Investment Program
* Organisations Investment Program
* Low-interest Loans
* Aboriginal Arts Fund
* Small Museums and Collections Program

Arts Tasmania is also responsible for policy, planning, strategic development, and funding, of the arts and moveable cultural heritage in Tasmania. Funding for screen based activities not handled by Arts Tasmania is made through a separate Tasmanian Government agency, Screen Tasmania (established in 1999).

Arts Tasmania has operational staff based in Hobart and Launceston.

Industry development

Arts Tasmania operates an industry development program which aims to increase the capacity of the arts sector and the viability of a career in the arts. Currently, its industry development programs include:

* arts-e newsbyte
* Arts business and artform resources
* COLLECT Art Purchase Scheme
* Public art
* Professional development
* Tasmanian Arts Guide
* Tasmanian Literary Prizes

References

External links

Arts Tasmania website

{{Authority control

Economy of Tasmania
Government agencies of Tasmania
Culture of Tasmania